Depository drawer and associated structure



March 29, 1949.

DEPosIToRY DRAWER AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE Filed D90. 19, 1947 B.clsENFELD 2,465,431

2 Shets-Sheet 1 EM//wv/N se/VFELO,

March 29, 1949.

B. CISEN FELD DEPOSITORY DRAWER AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE.

Filed Deo. 19,V 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 29, 19429- UNITDSTATES PATENT FFICE DEPOSITORY DRAWER AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE i Claims.

This invention relates to a cash or valuab-les drawer and associatedconstruction for receiving cash or other valuables when in open positionand for automatically depositing the same into a safety compartment orthe like when the drawer is in closed position; the combination of sucha drawer with a cash register or the like; and the combination of such adrawer in a cash register, desk, or article of furniture with a safe orlike deposi-v tory.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide in combination with asafe or receptacle, a cash register with a drawer having receiving meansthat automatically deposits contents of value into said depository orreceptacle for safe keeping when the drawer is closed, and thatautomatically places the said receiving means into receiving positionagain when the drawer is opened.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a drawer in combinationwith a safety compartment whereby the contents of the drawer areautomatically released into said compartment when the drawer is closed,the depositing mech'- anism being concealed from View of the personmaking the deposit; to provide a cash drawer in a cash register, orarticle of furniture, or the like, whereby the cash is automaticallydeposited by gravity when the drawer is closed, and when the drawer isopen the appearance thereof will be similar to conventional cashdrawers; and to conceal from ordinary View the existence of a specialdepository, so that cash or valuables may be automatically depositedwhen the drawer is closed without knowledge of unauthorized persons thatsuch deposition has been made.

The invention has for its further object the provision of a drawerhaving a compartment therein with its bottom swingably mounted, meansassociated with said bottom to engage the same in latching connectionwith means at the rear end of said drawer, and means for automaticallyreleasing the latch upon physical contact when the drawer is in closedposition and for automatically engaging the latch when the drawer is inopen position; all of which are hereinafter described and claimed.

Other objects of the invention will be ascertained from the descriptionand claims hereinafter given.

In the prior art, there are various devices for depositing valuablesinto depositories, but they are cumbersome, complicated and prone to getout of order. The present invention is simple,

2 economical and eiiicient, requiring a minimum of parts and automaticin action.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a view in vertical section of the invention as applied to acash register disposed above a safe. In this figure, the cash registerdrawer is in closed position while the swinging bottom of the valuablesreceiving compartment is in open position,

Figure 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. l, showing the cashregister drawer in open position and the swinging bottom in closedposition.

Figure 3 is a disassembled perspective view of the bottom of the drawer,the bottom of the register, and the depository upon which the latter ismounted.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the drawer structure, showing theswinging bottom in latched position. For the sake of clearness, theconven tional spring and catch means on the rear of a cash registerdrawer are not shown in Figures 1 to 4.

Figure 5 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig 4, with anadditional showing of the usual conventional spring and catch means atthe rear end of a cash register drawer.

In the drawings, numeral I represents a cash register or the like havinga drawer 2 disposed therein for receiving cash and valuables'in theordinary manner. The bottom 3 of the cash register has a speciallycut-out opening i which is adapted to communicate with a safe 5therebelow and upon which the cash register rests. The safe has apassage dened by the opening 6 and the side walls 'I communicating withthe opening 4 in the bottom of the cash register I. The specicconstruction of the means for removing the valuables deposited in thesafe is not shown, as such is conventional. Obviously, the valuablesdeposited through another opening in the outside wall of partition I2deiining compartments therein for receiving money, checks or othervaluables.'

Other partitions transverse to partition I2 divide the drawer into othercompartments, as indicated in Figure 5. The bottom I3 of the drawer,rearwardly of the partition I 2 and correspondingly to the cut-outopening 4,is provided with a swingable section I4 hinged at I5 at oneend and providedl through the opening 6 are removed at the other endwith a catch element or tongue I6. The latter preferably forms anextension of the bar Il fastened to I4 with fastening means I8. On theouter face IQ of the rear end of the drawer is mounted a bracket 2dhorizontally supporting a pivot pin or fulcrum 2l upon which ispivotally mounted a trigger element Z2. One end of the trigger elementis provided with a dog or engaging lug 23 adapted to engage in latchingrelation with the element i6. The trigger element 22 is urged intoloclzing or engaging position by the spring 2d which is received in arecess 25 in the rear wall l I of the drawer. The bottom member 3 of thecash register is provided at its forward part with a flat bar 2S securedto the top of the same with screws El. As shown in Fig. 3, the cashregister drawer 2 rides on the conventional runners 28 attached theretofor slidable movement into open or closed position. As shown in Figureonly, the drawer has a coil spring and catch mechanism which areconventional, shown by the numerals 3l and 33 respectively. The curvedblock or iiller shoe 3G is mounted in the compartment with the swingablebottom adjacent to the partition I2 and is intended to prevent papercurrency or other valuables from sticking in the hinge means, and tocause the currency or other valuables to slide to the other end of thecompartment, as well as to conceal the hinge mechanism I5 from view whenthe drawer is in open position. The shoe 3i) extends a little distancebeyond the opening and over the end of the pivoted section and concealsthe fastening means 32 from View when the section i4 is closed.

In the preferred form of the invention, the drawer is divided intocompartments adapted to hold coins or currencies of variousdenominations, with a single compartment operable to deposit thecontents by gravity. The various compartments separated by usualpartitions in a cash register drawer are not specifically shown herein,but are indicated generally by the longitudinal partition shown inFigure 5 in dotted lines transverse to partition I2.

In operation, the cash register is shown normally closed as in Fig. 1with the depending bottom section i4 in open position. When valuables ormoney are to be placed in the drawer, the cash register is operated inthe conventional way and the drawer 2 opens by means of coventionalmechanism defined by spring 3l and release of catch 33. When the drawermoves to open position, as shown in Fig. 2, the hinged bottom section I4rides up into horizontal position on the flat bar 26, and the end I6thereof engages the catch or dog 23 of the trigger element 22. The bar26 acts as a ller in that portion of the drawer between the bottom I3and register base 3, and urges the swinging bottom into positivelatching engagement as the bottom rides forwardly thereon. The triggerelement 22 is urged into positive latching engagement by means of thespring element 24. After the money is deposited, the depositor closesthe drawer. This causes the trigger element 22 to contact the pin orbaclstop 9 causing the spring 24 to be compressed and the trigger topivotally move in a clock-wise direction to disengage the catch 23 fromthe latch element I6, whereupon the bottom I4 falls by gravity anddeposits the valuables into the compartment or passage below.

When a new deposit is to be made, the cash register is operated asbefore, the drawer opens, the bottom section is again positively closedin 4 latched relation as described above, and the operation is repeated.

lt will be understood that the invention may be used in conjunction withother articles than, or in addition to, safes and cash registers. Thesafe 5 may be provided with a cabinet in front below the cash register,so that the safe may be hidden from view. Again, desk drawers may beprovided with the invention whereby a depository in a desk may cooperatewith the drawer to employ the present invention.

It will be noted that the mechanism is concealed from view, and to thecasual observer the drawer appears much the same as an ordinary cashdrawer. The swingable bottom of the compartment is flush and in positiveengagement with the side walls thereof when the drawer is in openposition. rhe shoe conceals the line of demarcation of the movableportion of the bottom from the rigid portion as well as any hingeconnection that may show. The appearance is one of tightness, solidityand rigidity when the drawer is in open position.

The elongated bar longitudinally disposed and attached to the swingablesection of the compartment bottom adds to this rigidity and isexceedingly useful on drawers of the heavier type. It also preventsabrasion and wear of the underside of the swingable section.

Various modifications will suggest themselves without departing from thespirit of the invention. For example, the pin El may be replaced by aspring or other backstop to contact the trigger element, but thebackstop or latch disengaging.

means must be so adjusted in length that it will not interfere with thenormal opening and closing conventional mechanism of the cash registerdrawer.

I claim:

1. In combination with a safe compartment having a passage therein forthe depositing of valuables, a receiving drawer mounted over said safecompartment and adapted to contain valuables, a bottom for said drawer,a part of said bottom being pivotally mounted on the drawer and disposedabove said passage to swing downwardly and empty valuables in saidpassage, and means on said drawer cooperating to automatically latch`the pivotally mounted part when the drawer is in open position, saidmeans comprising a trigger element secured to and fulcrumed on the rearunexpcsed face of the drawer and resiliently urged into latchingposition, and means mounted independently of and. behind the drawer topress the trigger element into unlatching position when the drawer is inclosed position.

2. In combination with a safe compartment having a passage openingtherein for the depositing of valuables, a receiving drawer mounted oversaid safe compartment and adapted to contain valuables, a bottom forsaid drawer, a part of said bottom being pivotally mounted on the drawerand disposed above said passage to swing downwardly and empty valuablesin said passage, and` end of said trigger away from said drawer andthe'other end into latching position, and means mounted independently of andbehind thedrawer 5, to press the trigger element into unlatchingposition when the drawer is in closed position.

3. In combination with a safe having a compartment therein .for storingvaluables, a passage leading from said compartment to the outside ofsaid safe, a cash register having a bottom drawer adapted to communicatewith said passage and to empty valuables therein by gravity action, saiddrawer being divided into different compartments, at least one of saidcompartments having a swingable bottom pivotally mounted to dischargevaluables into said passage, and means secured to the back end of saiddrawer to hold said swingable bottom in horizontal position when thedrawer is opened and to release said bottom into a non-horizontalposition when the drawer is closed, the said means comprising a latchingelement secured to the back end of the drawer and adapted to be placedin unlatching position when the drawer is moved to closed position, andto be urged into latched position by resilient means on the drawer whenthe drawer is moved to open position and means mounted on the cashregister in the rear of the drawer for contacting the latching elementto move it to unlatching position.

4. In combination with a safe having a compartment therein for storingvaluables, a passage leading from said compartment to the outside ofsaid safe, a cash register having a bottom drawer adapted to communicatewith said passage and to empty valuables therein by gravity action, saiddrawer being divided into diiierent comp-artments, at least one of saidcompartments having a swingable bottom pivotally mounted to dischargevaluables into said passage, and means secured to the back end of saiddrawer to hold said swingable bottom in horizontal position when thedrawer is opened and to release said bottom into a non-horizontalposition when the drawer is closed, the said means comprising a latchingelement secured to the back end of the drawer and adapted to be placedin unlatching position when the drawer is moved to closed position, andto be urged into latched position by resilient means on the drawer whenthe drawer is moved to open position, means mounted on the cash registerin the rear of the drawer .for contacting the latching element to moveit to unlatching position, and means mounted on the floor of the cashregister below the drawer for cooperation with the swingable bottom tourge the same to positive latching position when the drawer is open.

5. A drawer for receiving cash and valuables comprising front, rear, andside faces and a bottom, said drawer having a compartment therein withat least a part of said bottom mounted to swing downwardly to empty saidcompartment, means mounted on the rear face to keep said compartmentbottom from swinging open, said means comprising a pivotally mountedtrigger element secured to and mounted on said rear face, resilientmeans urging one end of said trigger element away from said rear faceand the other end of said trigger element toward said rear face, andmeans on said compartment bottom to cooperate with said trigger element,the arrangement being such that the trigger element automaticallyreleases the compartment bottom upon application of pressure to thetrigger element opposed to the pressure of the resilient means.

6. In combination with a base structure having a drawer to contain moneyand valuables, said base structure having a receiving compartmenttherein at a lower level than the drawer, said drawer having front andrear faces, sides, and bottom, hinge means on at least a portion of saidbottom to permit it to swing downwardlt7 to deposit its contents intosaid receiving compartment of the base structure, trigger means mountedon the rear face of the drawer, one end of said trigger having means toengage said bottorn in latching engagement, the other end of saidtrigger coacting with a spring to urge the opposite end into saidlatching engagement, means on said bottom to be engaged by said trigger,and means on said base structure adapted to contact the spring-pressedend of the trigger to disengage the trigger from said bottom.

7. In combination with a base structure having a drawer to contain moneyand valuables, said base structure having a receiving compartmenttherein at a lower level than the drawer, said drawer having front andrear faces, sides, and bottom, hinge means on at least a portion of saidbottom to permit it to swing downwardly to deposit its contents intosaid receiving compartment of the base structure, trigger means mountedon the rear face of the drawer, one end of said trigger having means toengage said bottom in latching engagement, the other end of said triggercoacting with a spring to urge the opposite end into said latchingengagement, means on said bottom to be engaged by said trigger, andmeans on said base structure adapted to contact the spring-pressed endof the trigger to disengage the trigger from said bottom, said lastnamed means comprising a pin mounted on said base structure in a planenormal to the plane of the trigger element.

8. In combination with a base structure having a drawer to contain moneyand valuables, said base structure having a receiving compartmenttherein at a lower level than the drawer, said drawer having front andrear faces, sides, and

bottom, hinge means on at least a portion of said bottom to permit it toswing downwardly to deposit its contents into said receiving compartmentof the base structure, trigger means mounted on the rear face of thedrawer, one end of said trigger having means to engage said bottom inlatching engagement, the other end of said trigger coacting with aspring to urge the opposite end into said latching engagement, means onsaid bottom to be engaged by said trigger, and means on said basestructure adapted to contact the spring-pressed end of the trigger todisengage the trigger from said bottom, and means mounted on said basestructure below said hinge means for the bottom to ride upwardly thereonand urge the same to positive latching engagement.

9. A drawer for receiving cash and valuables comprising front, rear, andside faces and a bottom, said drawing having a compartment therein witha part of said bottom mounted to swing downwardly to empty saidcompartment, means mounted on the rear face to keep said compartmentbottom from swinging open, said means comprising a pivotally mountedtrigger element secured to and mounted on said rear face, a springurging said trigger element, and means on said compartment bottom tocooperate with said trigger element, said last named means comprising anelongated bar secured to and forming a support for the compartmentbottom and having a latch engaging element at one end thereof, thearrangement being such that the trigger element automatically releasesthe compartment bottom upon application of pressure to the triggerelement opposed to the pressure of the spring.

10. Inv combination, a cash register having; a bottom with an openingtherein, a, drawer for said register slidably movable above said bottomand over said opening, said drawer having front and rear faces, sidesand bottom, a section of said drawer bottom being pivotally mounted topermit it to swing downwardly through the opening in the cash registerbottom, tongue means on the pivotally mounted section of the drawerbottom to engage in latching relation with means on i the rear face ofthe drawen latching means on the rear face of the drawer to engage saidtongue means and. automatically latch the pivotally mounted section whenthe drawer is in open position and to release it when it is in closed1;,

position, a rear wall on said cash register, means mounted on said rearwall to disengage the latching means from the tongue means when thedrawer isI moved to closed position, and means mounted on the bottom ofthe cash register and 8 below the drawer botto-m to urge the pivotallymounted, section intol positive latching engagement when the drawer ismoved to open position.

BENJAMIN CISENFELD.

REFERENCES CITED The foiiowing references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,199,723 Widell Sept. 26, 19161,370,167 Thompson Mar. 1, 1921 1,961,662 Gamache June 5, 1934 2,323,221Hockey et al June 29, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date GreatBritain 1925 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,465,431. March 29,1949.

BENJAMIN CISENFELD It is hereby certified that errors appear in theprinted specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows:

Column 3, line 50, for coventioual read conventional; column 6, line 59,claim 9, for the Word drawing read drawer;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Ofce.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of August, A. D. 1949.

[null THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Qommz'ssiogcr of Patents.

